Disaster
by Selenity Jade
Summary: [Chapter Four Up] [InuKag with obvious KagKouga tones] After Kouga lost most of his pack to Naraku's evil games, he swore to avenge his slaughtered family. However, he doesn't decide to go at it alone this time!
1. Prologue

Disaster  
By Selenity Jade

Prologue  
Rating: M

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha, though I fantasize about versions of him some fan authors come up with. And while I am still ticked off at FFnet for their sudden censorship (which made me have to take down my fic and lose hundreds of reviews, which would tick anyone off), I am still posting here and elsewhere. So if I owned Inu, why would I put up with that?

**Warnings**: Some of this will be redundant with the anime, until a certain point. Keep in mind that I won't be staying with the canon plot line after a bit. Also be warned, I don't like Kikyou, but I also don't hate her. I also like Kouga, and I don't even dislike Hojo. They all have their good points, and the reason for their existence in the show, and a lot of it I will twist into some serious angst. I am an angst-whore. You can blame my friend, Rose by Twilight for that. Though if you ask MaraJade03, she'd say she picked up angst from Rose AND me. And Kouga is a major character throughout this story, and he's not some evil, kidnapping bastard. He's simply an amoral human eating youkai, okay?

Any and all format problems are FFnet's fault. I can't get it to stop. Oi.

**Characters**: Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kouga, as well as some Miroku and Sango, Rin and Sesshoumaru, although before you perverts go further, she's still like 8 years old. Since I'm not a pedophile nor do I wish for a pedophile audience, their relationship is strictly platonic. 

**Spoilers**: Some, here and there. Mostly the arc involving Kouga, and how he met Kagome, and certain episodes in which he might have played a part if only he'd been there.

**Notes**: Yes, I am sorry, I swore to update Gone first, and then work on finishing up my fanfiction before starting ANYTHING new. sigh But this idea won't go away. But look on the bright side... At least I'm writing! And as far as I know, no one has done this, though I'm pretty sure I am not the first to think of it, and just haven't read any. And for those of you itching to kill me... please calm yourselves. I'm going through 'A Saiyajin's Heart' right now so I can do the sequel to it, as well as looking through Gone, The Demon Within, and Thin Lines as those have been 'requested'. I will then edit ASH, and I will start its sequel, as I'm tired of the death threats already. To other authors out there, NEVER leave a fic ended with a cliffhanger. You'll get cussed out. A lot.

And don't worry, the rest of the chapters will only have notes on the bottom for the most part, not the beginning, and only if I have something to say, or a review I wanted to comment on.

And now, the story...

* * *

She walked up behind him as he sat on the hilltop a few dozen feet from the rest of her group. She hesitated for a moment before squaring her shoulders and sitting down beside him, careful to keep enough distance to satisfy a certain member of her party who was surely watching them fiercely even now. 

"Can I look at the wound on your arm?" she asked quietly, glancing at the dark-haired youkai. She was careful to keep her voice as inoffensive as possible as she was sure he'd refuse just to prove how strong he was. It seemed like most men in this time were trying to prove how much they _didn't_ need medical attention.

He didn't answer for a few heartbeats before he glanced at her, his ponytail falling over the opposite shoulder. He turned his gaze from her as he held out the still bleeding arm so she could look at the place where he had foolishly imbedded what he thought was a shikon jewel shard, but was in fact something like crystallized miasma. "Sure," he answered finally, and just as softly with an empty, careful voice.

She blinked at him, a bit shocked he had agreed so readily. She almost smiled sadly as she opened the first aid kit she had brought with her and began rummaging through it for the necessary equipment.

"Why so surprised?" he asked after a long pause in which the only sounds were of Kagome searching through her box of medical supplies.

"It's just..." She hesitated, worrying her lower lip between her teeth, and using his arm as an excuse to buy herself some time to answer, she dabbed a thick pad of gauze with alcohol. "I expected you to blow it off like you're too strong to accept anyone's help with these 'measly scratches'," she answered, mimicking Inuyasha's common response to her prodding to look at his injuries.

He snorted almost softly. "I wouldn't have accepted anyone else tending to my injuries."

She frowned, wondering if he was going to start in on his usual 'You're _my_ woman, Kagome!' speech. She half-hoped he would. This quiet he seemed to have seeped in since Kagura left them was unnatural to him and it worried her. When he didn't immediately start spouting his usual outrageous declarations, she ventured another question. "Why not, Kouga-kun? If you can admit to being injured-"

"Because I intend to make you mine, Kagome. Females look after their males in the pack, so why shouldn't I let you tend to me? I don't need to ignore serious wounds to know I'm powerful."

She felt that familiar expression come into her face, the one that she knew must look almost pained as she fought from laughing aloud. He seemed so oblivious to where her heart truly leaned. He would never change; even after everything that he had just been through. She sighed almost sadly, wondering how this youkai could be almost as clueless as Hojo-kun from back home. Sure, she liked the guy, both of them, but couldn't they see that treating her like property or bringing her therapeutic sandals wasn't the way to woo her? Besides, she wanted someone else... She resisted the urge to glance over her shoulder at her friends and a certain silver-haired stubborn hanyou who was most certainly growling by now. After all, she was – gods forbid – actually touching the wolf youkai.

Kouga was watching her when she finally glanced back at him. She simply gave him a mysteriously sad smile, and started cleaning his wound. He didn't wince at the alcohol sting, nor flinch when she began bandaging it. After she was finished, she glanced up at him to find him staring out into the night again.

"I guess I'll go if you... want to be alone then. You're patched up now," she said, shifting her weight to stand up.

"Wait, Kagome," he said as he carefully avoided looking at her.

She paused glancing at him curiously. "What is it, Kouga-kun?"

He was silent for another moment. "I say that you're mine, or I intend to make you mine, but that doesn't mean I'm going to force you. I know that you don't have strong feelings for me yet. I do the stuff I do because I'm making it clear to Inu-koro I'll fight him for you later if I have to. Partially it's to piss him off, though. I..." He glanced at her, and Kagome was saddened to see his blue eyes darkened by grief. "Before Kagura did..." He paused before continuing, his voice hoarse with pain. "Before she destroyed my pack, I simply wasn't ready to settle down, even though when I did, I knew I wanted it to be with you. You're strong for a human, you're pretty, and you're feisty. You can sense the Shikon shards and you can sense youki. You're worthy of me."

She blushed slightly, surprised that he was actually talking with her seriously and complimenting her, not declaring his intention to 'own' her. "I... Thanks, Kouga-kun, but..."

He held up a hand. "Let me finish. Now... I want revenge for my pack. I need to get stronger to kill that fucking wind sorceress and the demon behind her slaughter of my pack. I had a lot of time to think up here while you fought with Inu-koro about his stupid broken arm. I don't think I'll fail to avenge their deaths, but I'm not sure I'll be alive afterwards either."

He glanced at her, his eyes fierce with agony and grief. "She killed my family, Kagome," he growled to her. She stared up into his icy cobalt gaze, her eyes filling with tears. She was so used to his cocky – and flighty – attitude, she was having trouble finding the pain filled wolf youkai to be the same man. Sango had mentioned that wolf demons felt a strong bond with their pack, but if she hadn't been staring up into the young wolf youkai's eyes, she'd have missed the telltale sparkle of unshed tears.

"She killed my pack and the pack is the most important thing to a wolf. She killed them all and then... used their corpses like puppets!" His voice was steadily rising as he nearly yelled this at her though Kagome knew it wasn't her Kouga was angry with.

He clenched his fists, looking away from her, and it was obvious to her he was fighting down those tears. Maybe it was one thing to let her tend to him, but he didn't really know her well enough to cry in front of her. That would expose a kind of vulnerability if she understood some of the more human-looking youkai she'd met. Kouga was one of the few full-blooded demons to treat her as an equal – or rather, not as something disgusting just because she was mortal and human, and she highly suspected that he'd have treated another demon the same way he treated her – and she would respect his wish to hide his pain from her. This time put a lot of stock in gender separate jobs and roles. Women cooked, cleaned, had the babies, and cried at everything. Men hunted, killed, built things, and never ever cried. It was stupid, but there it was.

After he seemed to get himself under control, he finally spoke again. "I don't know if I'll survive it, but I'll die to avenge them if I must. I won't die until I avenge them however, and I can't... settle down until that's accomplished now." He looked at her. "What I'm saying is... I know you're not mine yet, and you may never be mine, if I die avenging them, or if I should live and you choose..._him_ or someone else." He yanked at his ponytail a bit irritably at his sudden babbling. "I want to come with you to hunt Naraku and Kagura," he finally declared, his fierce gaze holding her own.

* * *

Next Chapter: Find out Kagome's reaction to Kouga's odd... 'request', and the wolf demon's reasoning for it. And Inuyasha's obvious response to it as well.

* * *

AN: This is a prologue people, so it's meant to be short. Until I get this fic out of my system enough to work on Gone, Thin Lines, and The Demon Within, I'll work on this. So fans of Gone, you can read this for now. It's the same series, right? 

Also, I moved, and changed email addresses and LOST all my beta contacts and even who they were! So this chapter has NOT been beta'd, and if any of you have been my beta, email me with your contact information, as well as what fandoms you can beta for me!

Kouga will be odd until he's done being upset about his pack, after all none of US got to see him truly grieve after the fight with Inu, so no one can say what he did or when. This is an AU fic, so there will be differences in character, just small ones.

Mailing List: I have one, I just can't find it... I might separate it into different mailing lists though, so if you want one for all my works (DBZ, SM, IY and Trigun fics along with anything else I write (except originals)), then let me know. If you want one just for Inuyasha and the separate fandoms, speak up now! Whichever gets the most votes wins.

Plugs: I used to do this years ago, but felt I should start again. IY plug of the moment: Keolla's Behind the Masquerade: http/www. fanfiction .net/s/ 1200528/1/ (remove spaces). It's cute, go read. I like it, because it's sweet, but there are slight OOC problems, but that's because it's an AU.

Thanks: Hmmm, let's see, I think this time I'm simply thanking Inuyasha for being so damned grumpy. Yes, you heard right. I like badass, grumpy, cold, sexy men. Not for me in real life, because usually that just leads to badass heartbreak, but I LOVE them in my stories.

Lovies!


	2. Chapter One: Answer

**Disaster**

By Selenity Jade

Chapter One: Answer

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, obviously. Otherwise, no one would ever watch it.

Notes: I'm warning you right now; I don't go in for that "What? Did I just think she was beautiful?" as if Inuyasha or Kagome don't know how they feel about each other in their own hearts. He may not know the extent of her feelings, but it was made clear when Inuyasha chose to follow Kikyou to hell. He DOES know he cares about her, and she knows she cares about him, otherwise she wouldn't have chosen to stay with him, just to be with him. He simply HIDES how he feels in front of others and her unless the situation demands otherwise. Inuyasha says one thing ("Stupid girl!") but may mean something else ("I don't want you to die!").

Last Chapter: Kagome is shocked when Kouga asks to come with her.

* * *

She blinked in surprise. "Come with me?" she asked.

"With you, Inu-koro, and those other humans. You seem to understand what had been done to my pack because this... Naraku has been playing these tricks with all of you too."

She looked down. "Not really with me. I'm simply the one who broke the Shikon no Tama, so I started helping put it back together. But yes, Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku have all been... damaged by him. So together, we're trying to find him, and stop him."

He nodded curtly. "I know; that's why I want to come. I know that stupid dog won't want me with the group, and I don't care. I'm asking _you_ if you'll allow me to join this small pack, if only temporarily. I _need_ to avenge my brothers, and it seems if this Naraku is as obsessive about Inu-koro as it looks from what just happened... this is the best way to go." He hesitated, then glanced at her, and asked softly, hesitantly, almost unsure of himself. "So may I come with you?"

She hesitated.

_Damn it, she doesn't want me with her... even when the reasons have nothing to do with her!_

"It's alright," he said, sighing, turning his cerulean gaze to the dark again. "I can just find him myself, I guess..." He made an effort to hide the hurt, both from her rejection and the massacre of his pack and allies. He felt his fists clench and forced his hands to relax. No need to let her know how much her rejecting him now, when he needed her to at least accept his help in fighting this bastard. He couldn't bear to have her know that he was less than confident. He didn't want her thinking he was too weak for her without her pack.

She touched his shoulder lightly, and Kouga could hear that Inu-koro growl louder behind them. And even that mutt's jealous fits didn't bring a smirk to his face. He simply turned to Kagome questioningly, his face a mask of indifference. "It isn't that, Kouga-kun."

"Then what is it?" he asked carefully.

"I'm trying to make the best decision for everyone. I..." She smiled at him slightly. "I sometimes react rashly to things, and I wanted to make sure before I said yes."

He blinked at her. "Is that a yes? I can come with you and your pack?"

She nodded. "We could use the help, and it isn't right to just let you seek vengeance alone. We all want to stop Naraku for different reasons, but we're together. I can't see why you can't come either."

He gave a watered down version of his usual grin at her. "Thanks, Kagome."

She nodded, letting her hand fall from his shoulder. "You're welcome."

Kouga let the silence drift between them comfortably as he stared out into the night again, his senses wandering, but alert. The pain in his chest hadn't lessened, but he felt a tiny bit better than the woman he had chosen to be his cared about him, even with Inu-koro hounding her like some stupid lap dog. He didn't think the mutt was competition really; Kouga was after all a pureblooded youkai, not some half-breed. He simply felt comfortable around her in his grief, like she understood enough to make it bearable.

"Kouga-kun?" she ventured suddenly.

"Hn?"

"Why did you call us a pack?"

He blinked and glanced at her. "It's what you are, aren't you?"

"Well," she began, hesitating, then glancing at him. "We're just friends."

He shook his head. "Maybe you are, but I'm a wolf youkai, remember? To me, what you are is a pack. And if that Inu-koro had spent any time with the dog demons, he'd feel the same way, but he's too damned pathetic –" Kouga felt a bit more uplifted to hear the half-demon growl louder in anger at the jibe " – to recognize one. You protect each other, don't you? When one of you hunts, he hunts for all of you, right? And there are even the dominate male – that's Inu-koro, though how he managed to become an alpha anything, the fucking shit –" this time Kouga actually smirked as the growl grew almost loud enough for Kagome to hear "- and the dominate female, you. The other two hunt and help protect the young of the pack. Of course, it's not a true pack because all four of you – I'm not talking about the kitsune here – are dominates, but you and Inu-koro are the leaders. And you're not a true pack because you and Inu-koro aren't mated, and in all packs the most dominant male and the most dominate female are mated."

Kagome blinked and actually smiled. "Well, that's because we're not a pack, Kouga. We're just friends. There are no dominants or leaders, really. Though Inuyasha is the closest one we have."

"Perhaps, but you are also dominant because you can make decisions for the group without consulting them."

She sighed. "Maybe it's easier on you to picture us as a pack because that's what you know, but it isn't what we are. We're just friends."

He touched her shoulder lightly. "Didn't you ever wonder why Inu-koro is also so protective of you? Why even know he's listening to us and glaring at us, making sure I don't lay a hand on you more than this? Or even why Inu-koro and I fight so much? It isn't all over you, though the majority of it is. I'm the pack leader of my pack... or what's left of it –" he pushed the pain away roughly "- and he's the pack leader for this wandering group of 'friends' as you call it. It may not be a true pack because you're not all of the same species, and you're not mated to him, but Inu-koro still has dog instincts. And as much as I hate to admit it, wolves and dogs are very closely related. Some speculate that the dog demons were once wolves before they mutated or evolved to something more 'tame'. I don't know what the truth is, and it happened so long ago that there probably isn't a demon alive who knows the truth." He ran his free hand over his ponytail irritably.

"What I'm trying to say is that we fight because we're both so dominant, both leaders of a pack, and we're territorial. I intruded on his territory - that means you, your pack moves, so his territory is the pack itself – and so we fight. A lot of it is because I want you and he knows it, and because he knows I'll probably win you from him, but just as much of it is because I'm a dominant and he's a dominant and he can't let another dominant near his group, not unless that dominant acknowledges his dominance. Do you understand?"

She blinked almost owlishly at him. Kouga admitted that he hadn't ever really been this serious in front of her before, except when he had been angry of course, and she was probably trying to adjust. Or it was too much to have her suddenly start thinking like a canine youkai.

"Just trust me on this, alright?" he finally said, lying back on the soft grass and gazing up at the black sky. "He hates me not only because I want what he deems his – you – but because I am also challenging him by just being near him. I won't acknowledge him as dominant to me, so we'll fight a lot." He turned his head to look at the beautiful girl by his side.

"And for letting me come with you," he added softly so that that stupid ass-sniffing mutt couldn't hear him. "Thanks, Kagome."

She smiled that heart-stopping smile of hers, and he tried to ignore that it was tinged with pity for him. "You're welcome, Kouga-kun."

She suddenly stood carefully, inadvertently showing off her shapely legs as she brushed dirt off her odd skirt. He suddenly wondered why she didn't just wear something similar to what the women in the wolf packs wore. It'd be more comfortable than that flimsy thing, and definitely warmer. The length didn't bother him because it was natural for wolf demons to wear enough to keep warm, yet short enough not to get in the way when fighting or running, and it never even occurred to him that the skirt might have been indecent.

She glanced back down at him. "Are you going to stay up here all night?"

He nodded his head once almost imperceptibly as he looked up at her. He put his hands behind his head before he spoke. "It'd be better if I were on the outskirts until Inu-koro gets used to me."

She nodded hesitantly. "I guess..."

He gave her a small smirk, hoping it came out more like his normal ones. "I know you can't get enough of me, but to keep the peace for now, perhaps you should go back and soothe his hackles. He's been growling constantly for the past ten minutes, and it gets more violent every time you touched me. I want to kill Naraku and Kagura even more than I want to win you right now, Kagome. If in order for me to achieve that is to join Inu-koro and sleep alone –" his voice caught at that word finally, and he was angry with himself for showing that sleeping alone gave him more grief to Kagome. He hadn't slept alone once his entire life as he'd always slept curled within his pack. To suddenly be without them, to have come upon their corpses and then to sleep alone... It brought a sound close to a sob from him, and he turned his back to her to keep it hidden.

"Just go, Kagome," he finally said.

She hesitated. He could hear her move her hand as if to touch him, but she didn't truly understand what pack was to someone like him, so she didn't know exactly how much it hurt to be on the outside of a pack now. Since she couldn't understand, she simply turned and slowly walked away from him.

He relaxed slightly when he heard her further down the hill. That girl meant more to him than even he admitted openly, but he still couldn't let her near him when he was like this. Females want the strongest possible mate, and right now, he wasn't the strongest. He was pack-less and beaten and had nearly begged entrance into another pack – his future mate's current pack which made it even worse - just to achieve the one thing he wanted most in the world now: Naraku and Kagura's deaths.

Kagome wasn't his mate yet, so he'd told her to go. He just couldn't let her know yet. Once they mated, it wouldn't matter as wolf youkai were the most notorious for being faithful and loyal to each other. She'd tend to his pain just like she had tended to his wounds... if only she had been his. But she wasn't, so she couldn't help him now. He couldn't let her ease his pain, because then she'd see... She'd see how weak he really was.

* * *

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking?" Inuyasha snarled down at the petite girl from the future for the sixth time.

Kagome didn't understand why she didn't just 'sit' him for yelling at her so much – and so loudly – about her decision to let Kouga join them. Perhaps it was because she was feeling guilty for sitting Inuyasha in front of Kouga just shortly after Kagura left, which is what made Kouga choose to separate himself from them by a short distance. Perhaps it was because he was too close to her and he'd probably land on her. Or perhaps it was simply because she didn't want to hurt him with the subduing spell for something that was her fault anyway. She knew he hated Kouga, and she still agreed to let the wolf youkai join them. She knew he'd throw a fit and she hadn't bothered to even ask him before agreeing, and she knew she should have asked him if he'd mind if Kouga joined them, but she so obviously knew the answer that it was pointless. He'd have growled out a lot of "No, hell fucking no!" or other such phrases so loudly and persistently that she'd have been forced to sit him just to get her ears to stop burning from his coarse, crude, and absolutely foul language.

"He is _not_ coming with us!" the hanyou stated fiercely as he clenched his claws. "He is useless, he stinks, and he can't keep his hands to himself! He's loud, smelly, and he's hopeless in a fight!"

"You mentioned smell twice, Inuyasha," Kagome muttered, though she didn't understand what Inuyasha was talking about. Kouga-kun didn't stink, though he did smell different than most guys she knew. He smelled... furry.

"That's because he stinks!" he roared at her, causing Kagome to flinch. If it got any worse, she was really going to have to sit him. He was relentless!

"Inuyasha, please, stop yelling," she said quietly, rubbing her temples with the pads of her fingers softly. The headache that had started during the fight between Inuyasha and Kouga before Kouga realized he had been tricked was getting worse.

"I'll stop yelling when you go right back up there and tell that fucking ass-sniffing wolf-demon to fuck the hell off and go find some _other_ idiots to take in his worthless hide!"

_Fuck the hell off? Does that even make sense? Inuyasha is _really_ angry..._ She blinked as she realized she just used Inuyasha's own phrase in her head and sighed. "Inuyasha, please! You're roaring at me is hurting me," she nearly whined at him, hoping to appeal to his oddly 'convenient' protective side. Sometimes a little pinprick would get him pissed off because it obviously hurt, but sometimes he'd often keep yell-

"Stupid bitch! If you want the fucking pain to go away, go tell _him_ to go away!"

"Inuyasha!" she screamed back, wincing at the throb increased, and she clutched her head. She didn't even notice Inuyasha's shocked blinked as he quieted at her outburst. "Please, I have a migraine, Inuyasha. Please, just talk, don't yell. I can't take more of it. I agreed because he's been affected by Naraku as well. We asked Sango to come with us, didn't we? We asked Miroku to come with us, right? Because both of them know how dangerous Naraku is, and they both want a chance to stop him for the pain he's given them both. So why _can't_ Kouga come with us?" she demanded softly, looking up into the hanyou's face.

* * *

_Sure, use logic,_ Inuyasha grumbled mentally as he clenched and unclenched his claws. He growled out something that was incomprehensible even to him and turned, striding away from the angry girl from the future and into the heavily shrouded woods near their campsite. He ignored the started exclamations of _her_ friends, and simply bounded up into a tree and set a swift pace through the branches that led him as far from _her_ and that stinking wolf shit named Kouga.

He couldn't yell at her anymore when it was obvious even to an idiot like him to see she was hurting badly. He couldn't make her head hurt worse just because she had wounded his pride and his ego. _And maybe your feelings, fucking moron!_

He growled, shaking his head, removing those traitorous thoughts from his mind. He couldn't let himself go there. Sometimes that girl got him to react in a way he shouldn't – like with her decision to let Kouga join their 'pack' as the stupid wolf shit called them, when any one with half a brain would see they were _not_ anything like a wolf pack – and he was helpless to prevent these reactions. But he would control what he thought. It wouldn't be fair to either of the women he cared for.

Maybe... Maybe it would be for the best if Kouga did stay with them. Maybe Kagome would learn to like the stupid wolf more than she liked him. He purposely ignored the gut-wrenching pain in his chest and stomach at the thought of Kagome feeling more for the wolf than for him. He didn't acknowledge it at all. Not at all.

He owed Kikyou, he promised Kikyou, and he had to try to stop his feelings for Kagome from getting stronger. He had started feeling torn between them shortly after he had met Kagome, but the guilt and pain of losing Kikyou in such a manner wouldn't let him admit to caring for her reincarnation. He loved Kikyou still; even though he knew this walking, clay replica wasn't really the Kikyou he loved. Kikyou may not have been as full of life as Kagome was, but she had been warmer – if a bit reserved – and she held more inside of her than hate and anger. But his own guilt and feeling of betrayal by Naraku wouldn't let him just leave her because she wasn't really the woman he fallen for. And a small part of him felt he deserved hell for what had happened to her. He failed her... just when he had promised to become human for her.

He sighed as he stopped in a large tree, crouching down to study his surroundings. He wasn't sure of his own feelings anymore. Kagome brought out so much in him that Kikyou never had. That girl brought him to jealous rages faster than he ever thought possible. He had been scared to death when Sesshoumaru had knocked her out.

He knew Kagome better than he had ever known Kikyou, and that made him feel guiltier. He spent nearly ever moment with Kagome except when she went beyond the well, while Kikyou and he only spent a few dozen hours together total. Kikyou had always been busy as guardian of the Shikon no Tama, and as miko and healer for the village. She simply didn't have the time for him, and honestly, while he spent a lot of time watching her, simply being around, he had yet to open up to her. He felt something deep for the priestess; otherwise, he'd have never agreed to become human. He wanted that chance to be more to her, and if to do that he had to be human... why he'd have made that sacrifice. Besides, a part of him wanted acceptance, and he had never gotten that as a hanyou.

Then they both died, and he was sealed to a tree, and when he woke up what seemed like only moments after he had been shot by that arrow, he found himself looking at her again.

Only the girl in front of him wasn't really Kikyou, something nagged at him even as he yelled at her. She looked like her, except for the clothes, and he hadn't even paid attention to his nose when he saw her. All he felt was pain and anger at being betrayed, and it wasn't until he did pay attention to his sense of smell did he realize that this girl was truly not Kikyou. She smelled of something floral, and something odd, like miasma, but weaker, and beneath she had a warm scent of innocence and fear.

Now after all these months later, he was torn by his past love and this girl he was falling for, despite his best efforts not to. He couldn't reverse the first month or so of knowing Kagome while Kikyou had been truly dead and gone. He had accepted that she was gone, and while he still held a lot back from Kagome out of fear of being betrayed again like Kikyou had done, he found himself warming to her, opening to her, and even watching her. When Kikyou had come back and suddenly he found out they had been tricked into betraying each other, he had started pushing Kagome away.

He knew he kept hurting the girl, but it was better that way. He _owed_ Kikyou, and he didn't want to betray her by leaving her to her miserable half-life while he became happy with her own reincarnation. Maybe Kouga's presence would help Kagome turn from him, and while the thought pained him, he knew it would be best. He had to stop opening up to her, even though she was his best friend, and the first person to _ever_ accept him, as he was, half-breed and all. He had to stop caring about her so much the very thought of her being with someone else put him in the foulest mood and sent him raging.

He sighed, running his clawed hand through his hair. It was so much easier to decide to do something than actually do it. Kikyou still drew him out of guilt and obligation, while Kagome... would have been enough to let him move on from Kikyou entirely if he had let her. She may be Kikyou's soul, but Kagome was so different from Kikyou. She cared about him, accepted him, and even cried for him. And she drew others to her by these very qualities. People like Kouga.

How he hated that stupid wolf. That stupid wolf who intruded upon their lives, foolishly declaring his love for Kagome without _any_ reservations, despite the fact he hadn't even known her! But he still was free of indecision when he did it, and that made him hate him more. He wasn't good enough for Kagome, with his flighty attitude, but he doubted anyone would be good enough for her while he was there.

Even he wasn't good enough for her because he couldn't let himself care for her like she deserved. He was a hanyou, and she was a pure-hearted human who loved everyone she met, even him. She stayed with him because she wanted to be with him, and she promised to be there with him always.

But it was selfish of him to hold her to him with his emotions so divided.

So maybe he'd let Kouga try to win her affections...

He growled, digging his good hand into the tree trunk beside him, and hung his head in defeat. Even as divided as he was, he was still too selfish to let her go. If Kouga so much as looked at her wrong, he knew he'd fly into a rage and attack the filthy wolf. Despite everything he knew was right, and best for her, he couldn't let her go to Kouga. The youkai wasn't strong enough to protect her, and he certainly wasn't good enough to lick his sword, so why would he think he was good enough to take care of one of _the_ most important people in his life?

_I'm hopeless. I can't keep her and I can't let her go... Kikyou, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that even now I'm betraying you._

When a scent invaded his nose, he twitched it and lowly started growling. "Hey, Inu-koro!"

Inuyasha snarled, lifting his head to glare at the wolf demon in front of him. "Get the fuck away from me."

"Do you always leave my Kagome unprotected?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Stupid wolf, she's protected just fine by Sango and that stupid monk." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Besides, I thought you said you were enough to protect her. Are you too weak for it now?" Inuyasha taunted.

Kouga growled, hissing at him angrily. "I can protect her better than you could, Inu-koro!" He watched the tailed wolf demon hop into the tree opposite of him. Kouga stared at him a long moment before speaking again. "You trust those humans to watch her?"

Frowning, Inuyasha didn't get where the wolf was going with this line of questioning. "Yes. Sango hunts demons and Miroku would suck up even Naraku's poisonous insects in his hand to save Kagome. And Kagome can shoot a good spirit arrow to protect herself." Then he smirked. "And I can smell her from here."

Kouga scowled and sniffed the air, eyes widening slightly. "Barely," he admitted finally. "You can barely pick up her scent from the scents around."

"Enough that if she becomes frightened I can be there. I know her scent." Enough that he abandoned a fight to go to her when he smelled her in the well half a forest a way. Kouga didn't have to know that though. "Why are you asking me all this?" Inuyasha finally barked, irritated. That wolf just made him angry!

"You left her unprotected."

"So did you!"

Kouga looked shocked for a moment before to Inuyasha's surprise, he looked shamed. "I was just so angry with you for leaving her without protection I followed."

Inuyasha shrugged, standing up and hopping out of the tree. He knew he should have started boasting and arguing with the wolf as soon as he showed up, not explain to him how the group worked. But thinking so hard about Kikyou always made him depressed and obviously the wolf was still subdued after the fight and losing his friends.

"Let's get this straight right now," Inuyasha growled at the wolf. "I say where we go, and where we don't go. I protect Kagome and the rest, not you. We fight who I say we fight, and no one else. Kagome may have agreed to have you come along, but I don't want you here. Don't you dare run away from a fight, and don't you _dare_ put Kagome in danger with your irresponsible fighting pattern."

Kouga listened to the hanyou, his hackles rising with each word. "Kagome is _mine_, why would I endanger her?" he growled, barely recognizable as words.

"Kagome is _not_ yours!" the hanyou snarled. "I'm warning you right now, she so much as gets a splinter because of you, and I _will_ kill you, and nothing Kagome does will save you." Inuyasha flexed the claws on his good arm again. "Do you understand me?"

Kouga growled. "I understand."

Inuyasha glared at the wolf, unwittingly surprised at how fast he gave in. He had been sure it would have led to a fight. Apparently, that stupid wolf was willing to do just about anything to achieve his vengeance. Well, fine by him. As long as the fucking wolf stayed the fuck out of his way, he could stay. If only because Naraku had deceived him as well and Kagome felt that he deserved to be there. It didn't mean he had to like it.

Growling, Inuyasha gave him another hateful glare, and turned running back towards camp.

* * *

Kagome looked up just as Inuyasha materialized from the forest. He looked grumpy, as usual, but strangely... subdued as well. She watched his broken arm carefully for any indication that it wasn't healing. He still held it limp at his side, but he didn't seem to even notice it. Either it didn't pain him much, or he was simply so used to pain right now.

She sighed. She always felt pained that Inuyasha had and continued to suffer so much in his life. All his inner pain made him rude and angry. Though sometimes, he showed her another side to himself. She continued to watch as he moved over to the spot below a tree near her, and sat down with his arms and legs crossed, Tetsusaiga carefully held to him. He leaned back against the tree, carefully avoiding looking at her, though she could see his ears twitch in her direction.

She frowned. He usually only acted this withdrawn after a run in with... Kikyou. She sighed, turning her face from him and looking back to Sango, who was currently stirring something in the large pot over the stove. She hadn't even asked the demon slayer what it was she was cooking. She didn't really feel that hungry anyway.

A rustle in the brush alerted her to another coming out of the forest, and she glanced over to see Kouga standing there almost as if he were hesitant to join them. His face showed none of the agony he had shown her earlier, but it still wasn't his usual cocky expression. She gave a small, welcoming smile, though she felt how artificial it was immediately. She didn't feel like smiling.

"Come sit down, Kouga-kun. Sango's about done with dinner if you're hungry," Kagome ventured.

He looked at her a moment before sniffing the air, surprise flashing over his handsome features.

Miroku finally spoke from his spot on the log behind Sango. "It does have meat in it, Kouga-san. Inuyasha needs a lot of meat too."

Kouga didn't reply simply walked over and sat on the other side of Kagome, carefully away from Inuyasha, but near enough to her that she heard the hanyou's loud growl. But since any distance in which Kouga could lean over to touch her was too close in Inuyasha's book, she turned to him to give him a small smile.

The half-demon just snorted, turning his face from them. Apparently, he decided that Kouga wasn't close enough where he could justify killing him to her. She sighed again.

This was going to be a complete and utter disaster.

* * *

Next Chapter: Dinner, and sleeping arrangements, and more of Inuyasha's temper.

* * *

AN: Everyone is acting all weird, but heck, that's to be expected. When everyone's done being moping, watch out! ;

And a quick note to Tail Wagger: Yes, I know. No one likes my record anymore. I've got a lot I've never posted, and about seventeen I don't have finished. While I know it is entirely my fault, the reason behind this – or should I say excuse? – is that when FF net decided to get rid of NC17, I had to take a lot of my DBZ stuff down. Meaning I lost thousands of reviews on my stories, because I took down even the non-NC17 stuff as I was really upset and decided maybe I'd work on the chapters better or something. Now I don't write for the reviews, nor do I hold back my chapters from lack of reviews, but when you're forced to take something offline and find new homes for it, and in order to use one of the 'best' – though that's debatable now – fanfiction site on the net you have to edit the chapters, it tends to make one annoyed. Very annoyed actually. Then the few times I actually ventured to repost my stuff, I get newbies yelling about my spellings, or whatever, and it makes it worse. The fandoms went to crap (SM, DBZ, IY, all of them) and after losing so much to this site, it made me withdraw. I keep trying though, and since I have to go through my other fics in order to update, it makes me hesitant. After all, ever notice why all the GOOD authors in these fandoms disappeared a long while ago, and update rarely if at all now? It affected almost every single one of the adult writers this way, and the fandoms slipped because of it. Mind you a lot of NC17 was pure porn, but a lot of them were stories, adult stories that didn't make me feel like I'd been dumbed down to 14 again. It's just hard to WANT to post anything when you're record of reviews is gone (I don't write for reviews, or post for them, but come on, I'd have to be a complete saint not to have been proud of them), the fan-people are rabid now and immature, with very few adults in between anymore, and your computer had crashed taking with it all the new stuff never before posted. It's upsetting. I don't blame the better authors from leaving, and no one can blame me for it either. I do keep trying though, which is more than I can say for a lot of them. They gave up on this fandom and the DBZ fandom for a lot of reasons, fans being one of them, and the NC17 rule being another. After that rule, EVERYTHING went away, and I'm one of the few that actually still try. Be thankful for that, even though I understand your frustration that I haven't finished anything except for ASH, and my one shots, even when finishing ASH was debatable. I humbly apologize for it, I know it is upsetting, but it can't be helped. I won't push out mediocre things for obligation instead of fun and the need to write. So I apologize, and only hope THIS time FF net won't kill me off for good.

Lovies!


	3. Chapter Two: Kouga's Shock

**Disaster**

By Selenity Jade

Chapter Two: Kouga's Shock

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I really would _love_ to own Inuyasha, but I don't think that I will be able to any time soon. After all, I work too much to write that often or draw that well.

Warnings: Slight OOC moments with the whole, Kouga being depressed thing, Inuyasha being pissed that Kouga's there thing, and Kagome feeling sympathy for Kouga. Okay? And I follow the canon slightly, but will deviate from it in appropriate moments. Mmkay? Did I just write that? Gods, I must be tired. Oo

Last Chapter: Kouga and Inuyasha argue in a non-violent way about Kagome.

**X**

"This is really good, Sango-chan," Kagome complimented after taking a bite. She wasn't all that hungry, but she didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings by not eating it.

The demon slayer smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kagome-chan."

Inuyasha snorted, having already downed his bowl, and was currently getting another. He was such a pig after any battle.

Kagome glanced to see how Kouga was faring, and found him simply staring at his bowl, a vacant expression in his eyes. He looked so alone, even among them, and she gently asked, "You're not hungry, Kouga-kun?"

He glanced at her, shaking his head, setting the bowl down near her.

She smiled sympathetically. "It's alright. Why don't you go to sleep? I think we have some extra blankets around," she began looking over at Sango to see if they did. When the demon slayer nodded, she turned back to Kouga. "We're all exhausted and ready to sleep after dinner anyway."

He shifted slightly, his pain apparent even to her.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked gently.

He shook his head, giving a quick angered glance to Inuyasha and the other humans. She blinked in realization. He didn't want to say it, especially not in front of everyone. Alright, but how would they solve-

Sango made a small noise, causing the rest to look at her. "He's a wolf youkai, and their entire lives revolve around pack. He's not used to sleeping without his wolves or other members of his pack right there."

Kagome blinked, glancing at him. Kouga was glaring angrily at Sango. He apparently didn't like this little pain known to the whole group.

Inuyasha snorted in amusement. "Poor wimpy wolf can't even sleep by himself," the hanyou taunted. "Just like the stupid kitsune!"

"Hey!" the said kitsune exclaimed angrily.

When both canine youkai were growling fiercely at each other, Kagome finally snapped. "Inuyasha! Kouga-kun, stop it!"

When she had both their attentions, she gave Inuyasha a glare, much to his annoyance. "Leave Kouga-kun alone, Inuyasha. You _could_ be a little more sympathetic as he's lost most of his pack!"

"What are you yelling at me for!"

"Because you're the one who started it, stupid!" Kagome snapped, putting a hand to her head, wincing.

"Kagome?" Kouga asked, concerned at her obvious expression of pain. She wondered if wolf youkai had headaches from confusion in his eyes as he examined her face for signs of... injury, she guessed.

"It's nothing, Kouga-kun, just a headache." She sighed. "Look, if you can keep your hands to your self, you can sleep _near_ me, though not _with_ me, okay?"

"Hell no!" Inuyasha suddenly snapped furiously, standing up.

"I didn't say with me!"

"I don't care! He's sleeping as far away from you as I can throw him!"

"Inuyasha!" Miroku finally snapped, standing up. "Would you please stop yelling? Kagome-sama is in a lot of pain because of this headache, and you keep yelling at her. If you're having that much of a problem with it, perhaps you should sleep near her as well."

"WHAT!" both canine youkai roared.

Kouga growled, standing up.

"Kouga-kun?" Kagome asked softly, her head pounding even harder after the outburst that Miroku had caused. For a good ten minutes, both canine youkai had growled and yipped at each other like a pair of dogs.

"I'm sleeping away from _him_," he grunted, head jabbing angrily at the growling hanyou. He gave Kagome a glance, which reminded her of his wish to sleep on the outside of their camp, as he didn't want to intrude on Inuyasha's space right now. It must be hard on the wolf youkai to give up his place of leadership to a hanyou, especially a hanyou he felt was his 'rival' for her affections. She sighed. She still didn't quite understand all this racism, but she was better at getting it sometimes. She hated it, and it always made her want to stand up for Inuyasha, which would make him pissed that he had to be defended by a weak mortal girl, and it'd end up going around and around in an unrelenting, repetitive loop of fighting and screaming. This was definitely going to be a disaster.

She watched as he turned and trotted up the small hill beside their camp, disappearing from sight in the dark night. She was sure he wouldn't go far, not after humbling himself in order to even ask to join what he had called Inuyasha's 'pack'. She glanced at the hanyou, who was scowling in the direction the wolf youkai had gone. "Inuyasha?"

"Hn?" he grunted as he glanced at her, annoyance shining in his glare.

She hesitated on how to ask him. "I don't want this to sound stupid, but Kouga thinks with a pack mentality, and said you probably do too. So... do you think of us as a pack, like the wolves?"

He blinked in complete surprise before making that famous annoyed breath of air. "No."

Cocking her head, she blinked. "Just no?"

He shrugged and settled back against the tree trunk he had left when the growling had begun. "I don't think of us as a pack."

"Do you have youkai instincts, then?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, stupid! That's how I survived on my own after my mother died. I was simply raised until I was six with humans because my father had been killed! Any 'pack' formation instincts were pretty much gone by then, Kagome, and anything left was killed when I was forced to fight alone against every living creature in the forest I grew up in."

Kagome noticed the stillness coming from Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, but didn't glance at them, knowing Inuyasha didn't reveal personal information to any of them often, and those three less often. She smiled sadly at him, for sharing his sad past with her and their friends, as well as to let him know she loved when he shared his past with her. She smiled because it made her sad and it made her happy. Anything he told her, the tiny snatches of information he revealed always made her smile. She caught Inuyasha's slight surprise before he glanced at the pair with them, and annoyed with himself, snorted and jumped into the tree that sheltered their camp.

Kagome rolled her eyes but smiled slightly at the monk and demon slayer. They all were used to his moods after all. As she started settling herself in her sleeping bag, Shippou immediately rushed over from his spot near the fire. "Don't I get chocolate first?" the little kitsune asked with his famous pout.

When she had starting bringing chocolate back from her time to satisfy her cravings for it between well-jumps, she had began giving the fox-child a chunk or two every night after he finished his dinner. So when he asked, she smiled softly and dug into the side of her yellow backpack and pulled out a small silver-wrapped package, and almost quicker than she could see, Shippou had snatched it, unwrapped it, and shoved it in his mouth.

She couldn't help but laugh.

He chewed thoughtfully before swallowing, and she could feel the little boy watch her as she slid into her sleeping bag. "Kagome?"

"What is it, Shippou?" she asked, snuggling in deeper as the kitsune hopped gently onto her stomach.

"Why did Naraku have Kagura kill the wolf tribe?"

Kagome sighed, her head pounding even harder at the child's questions. Shippou often asked questions at night, trying to understand what the others did, and she didn't have the heart to tell him she'd explain later. "So that Inuyasha and Kouga-kun would fight, Shippou. He does it just to be mean."

"Oh," he said, cuddling more firmly into her stomach. "What's wrong with sleeping together, Kagome? I sleep with you, so why can't Kouga and Inuyasha sleep with you if they want to? Father and Mother slept together with me all the time..."

Kagome sighed, ruffling the kit's hair softly. "Just because, Shippou-chan." She sighed, rubbing her temples lightly. "Can I please sleep now?"

Shippou looked up at her. "Okay," he agreed with a cute little yawn. She watched the kitsune curl tighter against her stomach before she turned her face from the fire and closed her eyes. Even from up in the tree, she could feel Inuyasha's watchful gaze, and she couldn't help but feel safe and protected under it. Sometimes, when she was in her own time without Inuyasha there, she had problems sleeping, even in that wonderful bed of hers. She was so used to sleeping under his care, that without it, she felt... vulnerable.

Despite the pounding in her head, she smiled slightly under his gaze as she drifted to sleep.

**X**

"Oi!" he called, poking the girl's shoulder irritably. Did she _have_ to sleep so long? Stupid, lazy girl! "Kagome, get up!"

She muttered something so low even his excellent hearing couldn't pick up, and he frowned.

"Kagome!" he snapped loudly.

She started, snapping her eyes open in shock. She blinked at him for a moment before recognition flashed in her cerulean eyes. "Inuyasha?"

"Of course, stupid." He rolled his eyes, standing up. "You planning on sleeping all day, or do ya wanna go now?"

She yawned and sat up, knocking Shippou off her stomach. The kitsune gave a startled sound, and landing on his feet, he turned to glare up at him angrily. Kagome rubbed her backside slightly. Inuyasha watched her stretch and wince as she warmed up from a cold night on the ground. It was months since she first came to this world, and while she wasn't as sore or tired as when she first started traveling with him, she still wasn't completely used to it.

He turned his back on her, satisfied she was getting ready and sniffed the air discreetly. He could smell Kouga still near the hill, and he couldn't help that his lip lifted in disgust. _Stupid wolf._

He glanced sideways at the monk and Sango, who were busy filling their small packs with their belongings, and Kirara simply transformed to her demon cat form.

"Ready, Inuyasha."

He glanced at Kagome, noticing that she had already rolled up her sleeping back and stuffed it into her giant pack, as well as all the cooking supplies. She had learned to be quick about packing up as well. He was actually a bit proud of her. She adapted to this time quickly, much better than he would have to her world, he was sure. That time still made him nervous, the sounds and smells were so different from his own. "Hn," was all he allowed, and motioned her to give Miroku her pack.

She cocked her head, and did so, watching as Sango mounted Kirara. The demon slayer gave Miroku a good glare. "Keep your hands to yourself this time, or I'll throw you off."

Inuyasha chuckled as Miroku held up a hand in an act of supplication. "Would I do that, Sango?"

All four of the party answered immediately, "Yes!"

Miroku laughed good-naturedly and slipped onto the cat behind Sango. Sango lifted her arms just enough so that the monk could slip his staff in front of her, holding onto both ends of it to keep from falling off, or losing the stupid thing. Kirara consented to having Kagome's lightened – compared to when she first brought it back this time around – bag resting against her neck.

"What about Kouga?" Shippou asked suddenly, causing Inuyasha to growl at him.

"I'll go get him," Kagome volunteered

"No, we'll just stop by on our way," the hanyou growled irritably. "All he's good for is speed, so he's fast enough to keep up."

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked, as they both watched to make sure Shippou got settled with Miroku and Sango. As much as the kitsune loved Kagome, he was often dizzy while using her normal mode of transportation.

"Back to Kaede's," Inuyasha snapped.

He could feel Kagome's eyes narrow in suspicion, but he didn't even glance at her. "Is it getting close to th-"

"Yes!" he growled, giving her a 'shut the hell up' glare. Didn't she realize he didn't want _that wolf_ of all people to see him in that state?

She glared back for that. "I wasn't going to say anything damaging, Inuyasha!" she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "I _was_ going to say 'that time'. Baka!"

He grunted, clenching his claws. "Ready?" he barked at Sango, and when she nodded and Kirara lifted into the air, he bent down, his back to Kagome. "Get on," he ordered gruffly.

He heard her sigh, but she settled her hands on his shoulders and let herself lean into his back. He, in turn – hesitantly of course, she was _always_ wearing that stupid short kimono, and he _was_ gripping bare legs when he did this – carefully slid his clawed hands behind her knees and lifted, feeling her chest settle immediately into his back comfortably. He was used to it by now, with all the practice they got traveling this way. It wasn't as distracting as it had been once as he had long ago gotten used to having her weight added to his, her scent tickling his nose at her closeness, her breasts pressed against him. And he didn't so much as twitch when she shifted anymore. But at first...

When he had first had her ride on his back, it was awkward as fuck. He had _never_ allowed someone on his back before, but it had seemed so much easier when they were trying to go after the stolen Shikon no Tama. He had been bothered by her slight weight, the balance was off, and her smell was close enough to Kikyou's to piss him off, but different enough he couldn't bitch without sounding stupid. When he had gotten over his initial hatred of the girl – who, he had to admit, was nothing like the woman who he had thought betrayed him – he found that she was actually... comfortable to be around, comfortable to carry. It was odd. Even Kikyou had never been comfortable. He had felt resentment sometimes that she resembled Kikyou so much, but eventually that had worn away. He still didn't know what had possessed him to order the girl onto his back that day when he had never before carried anyone that way. Perhaps he had found it humiliating? Akin to being a beast, a monster, a freak... nothing more than a stupid hanyou? Yet when he had first met this girl at the place of his death and their eyes first locked together, her vibrant blue eyes didn't show disgust, fear – except of the stupid centipede demon, of course – or hatred for his features – his different, monstrous features.

Instead, he saw a plea.

He knew, even now, this girl never had never once gave it any thought that he was a hanyou when she saw him. All she had seen in him was a protector, a savior, a stupid bloody hero.

Of course, the first thing he did after saving her life was threaten it. But she had reminded him so much of Kikyou, the one he had thought betrayed him, and he hadn't cared one whit whether she was innocent or not. He was so fucking angry, swearing inside his head he'd never let himself feel for another living being again, and he sought to tear the jewel from the innocent girl in order to become a full demon. He had sought to kill her for the jewel so he could be a true demon and not feel anymore. Not to be a freak anymore. Not to be weak anymore.

Of course, that stupid bitch Kaede had other plans, with that stupid subduing spell. So he had been stuck with the stupid wench and forced to help her. And when she got her stupid self in trouble without him, he had been forced to save her, only to find the baka girl had let the jewel be stolen!

So he had urged her onto his back to get it back, and ever since then, that was how they traveled most of the time. It was comfortable for them both, and while he knew she felt it, she never voiced it, and neither did he. It was safer that way with things they way the were between them. This simple act of carrying her let him keep her safe – because who the fuck would try to kidnap her while she was riding an irritable hanyou? – and it let him have a sibilance of closeness to the person he trusted most.

"Inuyasha?" a hesitant voice asked near his ear, startling him out of his thoughts as his ear twitched slightly in response.

He sighed, standing up, and shifted his hold to underneath her lower thighs, near her knees, always careful of his claws. He moved his head enough to get his hair clear of her weight against his back so that he could move comfortably. He glanced up at Sango and Miroku waiting on the airborne Kirara. "I was just thinking," he grumbled.

"About?"

"Nothing." He started running immediately, knowing Kagome didn't usually try to talk with him once he had started going, unless she felt a jewel shard or the youki of another nearby. He jumped up the last part of the hill to where the pathetic wolf lay, and stopped.

"Oi!" Inuyasha barked. "Time to go."

The wolf sprang to his feet immediately, already moving into a defensive stance as he surveyed Inuyasha. He looked pathetically miserable, but Inuyasha knew he hadn't been sleeping, only thinking and not paying attention to his surroundings. Stupid wolf was so used to having other members of his pack as lookouts he was rather out of practice. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Now he supposed Kagome would want him to guard even that stupid worthless piece of shit wolf like he did the others!

Kouga growled when he noticed Kagome on his back, and the half-dog demon snarled back at him. _If that pathetic, whiny bastard wants to fight-_

"Stop it, both of you!" Kagome snapped angrily.

Inuyasha felt his ear swivel to her voice before he smirked at Kouga. "We're going, try to keep up."

The wolf youkai snorted, getting ready to whirl into a tornado of wind with his speed. "Nothing you can do will lose me."

The hanyou snorted, choosing to ignore the comment because he didn't feel like putting Kagome down to fight the damned bastard.

"Don't tear up the countryside, Kouga-kun," Kagome began pleadingly, much to Inuyasha's annoyance. "We're going back to the village, and we kind of look out for them. They barely tolerate Shippou, Kirara, and Inuyasha as it is, but they're getting better, and starting to trust them. Adding another youkai to the few who practically reside there now is going to irritate them enough as it is without them forming a mob because you sacked the village with your tornado, okay?"

Inuyasha turned a sharp glare on the wolf. He hadn't thought of that. "And I don't want my forest destroyed either," the hanyou growled at the wolf.

"Fine," Kouga agreed reluctantly, frowning. "You actually live among the mortals?"

Inuyasha snorted. "No. Unless we're staying with Kaede-baba."

"K...Kaede-baba?" Kouga asked, confused.

Kagome slapped Inuyasha lightly upside the head, causing his ears to twitch in annoyance. "Don't teach him to call her that!" He felt her glance back at the wolf. "She's the priestess for the village."

"Priestess?" Kouga said outraged. "Don't you people know that priestess's-"

Inuyasha growled, giving Kouga a good glare. "Ya moron, what do you think our group does? Miroku is a monk who exorcises demons. Sango is a demon exterminator. And what the fuck do you think Kagome is when she can see the fucking shards? Kagome is a fucking priestess, you idiot!"

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at Kouga being struck stupid, and took off towards the rising sun, towards the village, towards his forest, and towards the place Kagome would leave him, if for only a few days. Again.

But even that didn't damper his feeling of superiority when nearly a full minute later Kouga _finally _start following after them, still too shocked to come up with an intelligent query to that blasted piece of news.

**X**

Next Chapter: Goshinki!

**X**

AN: Now everyone should be happy, I've updated three times in three days.

To Tail Wagger: I am on I simply really dislike that site. sigh I'm also on AdultFanfiction, and while that site is better, it's not that great either. And I'm on ASMR (A Sailor Moon Romance, Moonromance . net), which is almost on par with FF net now, as it has branched out into other fandoms in their archives, but the reviews aren't the same, and the people there are mostly SM fans. It's a great site though, that has been the most extensive Sailor Moon fanfiction site on the net for years, allowing NC17 way from the start, and even now, they still have it. I do not think they'll stop that, either. I hope. sigh Unfortunately for me, and others, FF net is where we started and while not it sucks major ass now, it's better than all the other alternatives for both readers and the system. Though right now I'm mad at it for THAT too.

Lovies!


	4. Chapter Three: Comfort

**Disaster**  
By Selenity Jade  
Chapter Three: Comfort  
Rating: M

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Inuyasha, because quite frankly, I'm not that good. And I'll tell you a secret. All my DBZ fans hate me. My SM fans hate me. And my few Trigun fans hate me. Oh, and wait, my Original fans hate me too! So I _highly_ doubt I own anything (except my originals, which I'm so OBVIOUSLY not getting paid for either). Because if I did, I would have finished more stories and wouldn't be getting yelled at. (Yes, people that does mean I know! (sigh) I'm trying alright? Just let me work on this idea for a bit then pour in the emails on which fic you want me to update! I'll do a quick edit and repost of every chapter before the update (so I know what I'm writing about again), and then update, just for you people! Okay?)

**Note**: Apologies before on my stupidity. I said Goshinki was coming up, and I sooo lied. It's Kanna, and she's not even in this chapter. And has anyone _else_ noticed that those huts appear wherever with no explanations? At least I haven't heard any explanations. And I am _so_ glad that some other author besides me noticed that Inuyasha's ears look like _kitty_ ears! (giggles)

And also, I may follow the anime in some instances until I can safely break off at some point into a completely different story as Kouga's presence _will_ affect the story, just not yet. Keep in mind I will _not_ repeat the lines of the anime or the manga and go over everything we've all seen. I'm doing it roughly by memory (for the very reason of trying _not_ to make it a copy of the anime with only a few words from Kouga added) but with enough of my own writing style so that I don't feel like a complete plagiarist, alright? It just feels rather... wrong to me to do it any other way.

And yes, I keep forgetting Shippou, I'm sorry, he's just not on my mind often because I can't write kids very well. And when I do forget him and put him in, it sounds so... forced. So I'm trying, and I'm aware of this flaw. I'll often edit things different in previous chapters, so it does good to tell me I missed something. I _love_ constructive criticism!

**Last Chapter**: The group fights a bit more, and heads off toward Kaede's!

**X**

Kouga was silent as they waited for the youkai slaying woman to bring water back from the river. His attention was turned inward as he pictured the fight with Kagura repetitively in his mind, trying – in vain – to find where he went wrong. He didn't bother to speak to any of the oddly formed pack, as he really had nothing he wanted to say to any of them. Except perhaps to Kagome, but not when she was hanging around that _dog_.

He suddenly lifted his head and scented the air as the stink reached them on the gentle southern breeze. "Humans," Kouga stated in disgust. "Male, six or seven. And horse."

Kagome glanced back at him. "I wonder if they'll pass by," she mused, glancing at Inuyasha.

He snorted as he stood up and shook his hair back into place. It fell down to nearly his knees, and Kouga irrelevantly wondered why the idiot didn't just tie it back. It had to be a hindrance in a fight like that, though he hadn't noticed the hanyou having any problems with it. "I'll check on Sango," the dog stated, leaping over Kagome and trotting off in the direction of the woman.

As it had nothing to do with him – or Kagome – he didn't even bother to wonder about the men or the other woman of their group until he heard that demon exterminator's voice cry out in surprise.

When Kagome, the stupid fox child, and the pervert shot up from their resting places and run towards the cry, he had to follow. He stood up with a stretch, irritated already. Couldn't they go a whole afternoon without _something_ happening? The stupid human woman didn't concern him, but he wasn't about to let Kagome go off alone without his protection.

He made an irritable snort before he took off after the nosy group. If he didn't have such a confounding reason for staying with the stupid group, he'd have simply taken Kagome and gone already. They were _the_ most annoying idiots he had ever had the displeasure of associating with. Between the dog's threats and growls – and having to curb the instinct to beat the shit out of the hanyou to take over the pack as alpha male – the stupid prattling of the pervert with the woman who slew demons, and his own rage and grief over what had been done to his family, he found himself eager almost to fight.

Unfortunately for Kouga, when he arrived after the rest of the group, the stupid hanyou had already scared off the pathetic humans and _another_ irritating mortal – though she looked rather tasty, but eating her was out of the question with Kagome right there – was there bowing and simpering about being saved. He reluctantly admitted he found it humorous when the little girl threw herself at the pervert who called himself a holy man and the demon-fighting woman growled. It was her own fault. If she simply would let the damned monk claim her, she could have killed the girl for touching him. Why couldn't humans just get it out of the way? They _obviously_ wanted to mate, and yet – outside of the damned monk's groping – they didn't even touch.

It was baffling. Mortals were weak and pathetic, but worst of all, they were so utterly witless that it made him wonder how humans had started to outnumber, out-produce, and out-kill youkai. They were too dense to see what was right in front of their noses!

He tuned out the stupid mortal's pathetic whining as she explained why those idiotic men were after her, and instead walked a wide circle around the group. He was careful to scent the wind as he moved, making no sound, as he had been taught by the pack leader – his father – so many years ago. If that stupid hanyou didn't take his responsibility for guarding Kagome seriously, he would have to.

When he didn't smell or sense anything dangerous near the group, he noiselessly walked up behind Kagome just as she and the harpy-woman screeched in shocked horror at the walking hormonal monk. He cocked his head as the dark-haired man stuttered and made some weak excuse – "I ask all pretty women that question!" – and silently wondered what he'd missed.

"You asked her to bear your child before she could bear children?" the half-breed demanded in disgust.

Snorting, Kouga turned his attention away from the conversation as it didn't pertain to him or Kagome, and he didn't really understand the level of shock the others were exhibiting. He did however take advantage of the disgusting hanyou's distraction to stand close behind Kagome, his nose twitching slightly as her unique scent invaded him gently. Maybe it had something to do with the girl being able to sense the jewel shards – or, he disgustingly admitted, that she was a priestess – but she smelled sweet, and it was quieting to him. Except when her scent flared with anger, she always made him feel calm. Maybe it was because she was still so... innocent.

He was jarred out of his thoughts as the scent wafted away from him, and he glanced up and followed the group as they headed away from the brook, that stupid human girl in tow. He was beginning to wonder if taking up with this stupid do-gooder pack was going to do _him_ any good in finding Naraku, but he didn't voice it yet. It had only been a week after all.

Besides, he could spend more time with Kagome this way.

After a short distance – and after picking up their packs and gear from their resting spot – they found a small abandoned hut positioned nicely in a middle of an abandoned area of the wetland. This was the second hut he'd seen like this. Why did they always seem to appear so conveniently?

"Miroku, she _can't_ come with us," the dog demon said gruffly as they watched the little fox child lead the young human woman into the hut.

"I know," the pervert replied softly.

"Houshi-sama, she'll just get hurt if she comes with us. She can't fight and she'll just be in the way."

"I know!" the monk stated again more forcefully. "We'll just take her to the next village. I'm sure someone will take her in."

"And if not?"

"Then we'll take her to the next village after that, and the next one, until someone _does_ take her in."

Kouga saw Kagome rest a gentle hand on the pervert's shoulder. "You really do care about her, don't you?"

"I just feel responsible, that's all," the man uttered quietly. "It's hard for people with the constant fear of war hanging over them, and with so much loss, it's the least I can do for someone as lovely as she."

The wolf demon rolled his eyes at the implication. Does he not give up?

The demon hunter snorted and stood up with a hand on her hip. "You two boys can go catch us dinner. Kagome and I will stay with Koharu and explain this to her." The fierce woman then lifted her gigantic weapon and carefully maneuvered into the small hut.

"Kouga-kun, are you coming in?"

The hanyou growled immediately, but Kouga pointedly ignored the sound. To do anything else would invite a fight, and he wasn't really in the mood. That he wasn't in the mood to fight with his rival for Kagome's affection really sent home the fact that he was perhaps _too_ damned depressed.

"Kouga-kun?"

He gave her a cocky smirk – or rather, he _hoped_ it came out as a cocky smirk and not some feeble-looking pathetically weak smile – and shook his head. "Walls are confining," was all he said as he leapt with amazing speed onto the top of the tiny hut.

He could feel Kagome's eyes on his back as he crouched there before turning to look at her. "Do you want dinner?"

He shrugged. "I'll catch something later."

"That's my spot, shithead!" the hanyou suddenly sputtered out.

The wolf snorted in response before settling on top of the roof as if it were actually comfortable, though it wasn't. He was really beginning to miss his cave, with the fur-lined nests, his pack's scent, and their warmth as he slept.

He was having the worst damned case of insomnia.

He took no notice as the men of the pack left to kill something and the women entered the hut. He didn't even notice Kagome throwing him a worried glance. He was so _tired_.

He scented the air carefully, making out each of the individual scents he knew – Kagome's, the dog's, the three humans below and the stupid fox child's, and knew without even opening his eyes, that they were safe for now. He let his mind wander as he carefully let his ears acclimatize themselves to the 'normal' sounds near them, and finally shut his eyes. He'd be alert the moment anyone approached, or a foreign sound or scent reached him.

He hoped he had hidden his thoughts from the strange pack enough that they wouldn't realize just how tired and pained he really was. He was beginning to feel out of place, like a rabbit in a den full of wolves. He was terrified being this alone – not of physical danger, he wasn't _that_ weak – but he was a _wolf_, and wolves thrived only around others of their kind. He hadn't been rouge. He'd been the leader, the protector, the provider.

Now he was nothing more than a lone wolf amidst a group of weak humans, a fox child, and one hanyou. He was the outsider now, the one forced to submit to another's rule.

How it rankled!

And instead of catching a few minutes of sleep while he could, he was fuming and uncomfortable, unable to drift off for even a second! He was cold without his pack's bodies pressed against his, nervous without the scent of _home_ filling his nose, and grieved without the common sounds of playful pups, frisky mates, and scolding elders.

"Kouga-kun?"

He sighed silently and sat up to glance down at the slight girl that stood on the ground below his spot on the roof. He didn't even bother with a smile; he was too damned depressed by his thoughts to even attempt it. "Kagome," he breathed softly.

"Can I come up? I've got a meat roll for you..."

He hesitated then leaned over the edge of the roof, holding his hand down towards her. She smiled softly – and sadly, it was always sad when she turned that smile towards him anymore – and took his large hand with her tiny, delicate looking one. He carefully lifted her from the ground with the strength in that arm, wrapping the other around her waist as he pulled her towards him. He stood up to give her some room to set her feet down on the roof. He released her with only a slight hesitation and stepped back out of reach. He watched her for a moment before gracelessly sitting back down on the roof, his back leaning against chimney.

He eyed her as she walked towards him and plopped down beside him in that careless way she sometimes had. She held the food product in her hand to him, and he took it after a few heartbeats of silence.

He took a hesitant bite, but when it didn't disgust him, he quickly devoured it. When he finished, he glanced at the girl beside him out of the corner of his eye. She was watching him in very obvious concern, but he didn't want to be the one to speak first. What would he say, anyway? _'Hi, thanks for letting me join this odd-ball pack, I'm miserable, please kill me now?'_

She smelled sweet, as usual, with a definite thread of exhaustion. Walking must of tired her out. She _had_ started out the trip on the hanyou's back, but after only an hour, the dog suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and dropped the girl on her ass and didn't let her ride again the entire week. Kouga had gotten in a huge fight with the dog demon after that display. It was just odd, dropping her for no reason and without explanation. So for the rest of the time, Kagome had walked with the monk – who had been kicked off the demon cat by the irate demon slayer.

"Are you alright?" the young girl finally asked him.

He grunted, turning his face from her. The girl was just _too_ innocent and cared about everyone. No _wonder_ she could purify jewel shards by one quick touch. She was one of the very rare people who were so pure hearted it made others cringe. She had such a sweet disposition as well as a fiery temper – when it was aroused – and gods above, he loved that about her. Loved it so much, he hadn't really pursued her yet because he had wanted her to stay the way she was. She even _smelled_ pure.

He heard her clothes rustle just before he felt her hand on his shoulder and he tensed. "Kouga-kun, please talk to me."

"Nothing to talk about," he finally said reluctantly when he finally admitted to himself she wouldn't just drop it. "My pack is dead, and it fucking sucks."

"I know it hurts, but talking sometimes helps."

"No, it won't. It won't bring them back."

"Of course not, but it still helps when you share your feelings about it with someone."

He snorted in disbelief.

The girl fell silent for a good half an hour before she started spoke again. "When my father died a few years ago, I thought my world had ended. I would lock myself in my room, refusing to speak to my mom, my brother, or my grandfather for days. I stopped eating and sleeping. I simply stayed in bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying not to think or feel. It was just too painful. They kept trying to get me to talk to them, get me to eat, or something...

"It wasn't until my mother finally ordered me to go downstairs and eat or she'd _force_ me that I snapped. I screamed something cruel and hateful at her, and then I started to cry. I cried so hard that it came out silently, and all my mother did was wrap her arms around me, and let me cling to her and cry.

"After that, I felt better, and was able to eat and sleep a bit. It didn't make the pain or grief go away, but I _did_ feel better, if only a tiny bit."

Kouga glanced at her out of the corner of his eye carefully. "I'm not human, Kagome."

She sighed. "I know that, Kouga-kun. I don't expect you to cry or anything, if that's not what you do, but... I know you're hurting. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me."

After a long pause, he ventured, "You lost your father?"

She nodded. "Two years ago this month."

Silence again.

"I know it's not the same as losing your entire family, but... the grief is similar right?" He could almost smell her smile as he carefully avoided looking at her. "We have all lost someone, Kouga-kun. Miroku-sama's father was sucked into the hole in his own hand as the he watched. And Sango's entire village – including her father – was killed by her own little brother who was under Naraku's control, and still is to this day. Shippou-chan lost both his parents to a pair of demons who wanted the jewel shards. We all know what you're going through, though I haven't lost anyone in this world yet. Even Inuyasha understands, or he would have picked on you more."

"Who'd the mutt lose to Naraku?"

Kagome hesitated. "It's Inuyasha's secret to tell really. He'd get angry if I said anything to you. Let's just say, he's lost everyone he's ever loved, so he really does understand." He felt her fidget. "I'm here if you want to talk. I'm a good listener, even. I just want to help, Kouga-kun. It hurts me to see you so depressed."

He sighed, tensing his muscles in his back for slowly releasing them. He glanced at Kagome almost hesitantly, letting his fiery blue eyes stare into her crystal blue ones. He wavered for a long moment before he ventured a question with a voice gruff with pain, uncertainty, and nervousness. "Would... you let me...?" he asked, almost too softly for human hearing as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her between his bent legs as he buried his face in her neck.

"K-kouga-kun..." She was tense and unyielding in his arms, smelling of nervousness and a bit of fear.

He ran his other hand through her soft brown hair soothingly before wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling more firmly against his chest. He let himself breath in her soft and innocent scent, only slightly irritated by the faint whiff of dog she had on her. But the familiar floral scent that came from her silky tresses overpowered that disgusting odor enough that in the end, it didn't matter.

He had both arms wrapped around her soft, slender frame and held her against him almost desperately with shaky arms. He forced himself to take deep, even breaths, and knew by the girl's shudder his breath was tickling her neck. He was almost disappointed when her scent changed only slightly in response. But that was only part of his mind that noticed this. His thoughts were too involved with what had happened to his pack to really put much effort into seducing the girl he had sworn to marry – to mate – one day. He let the subtle scent of her neck and hair coax him into relaxing against the chimney. He felt his muscles respond as he continued to simply breath her in and hold her warmth against him.

Without effort, Kouga fell asleep for the first time in a week with his face pressed against the concerned girl's neck, almost clinging to her as if nothing else would grant him this small reprieve from his loss.

**X**

Next Chapter: Inuyasha and Miroku come upon the sleeping Kouga and the worried Kagome.

**X**

**AN**: Hey don't shoot me, okay? Honestly, I _like_ Kouga, but I also _love_ Inuyasha. This will almost definitely turn out Inu/Kag, _not_ Kag/Kouga. Okay? Of course, maybe halfway through the fic I'll love my Kouga version and change it, but I don't know. We'll see.

No, I am not a newcomer to fanfiction, people. I've been around for years, but I keep leaving the community ever since the FF net NC17 ban. _You_ lose thousands of reviews and see how well _you_ take it. I'm not a saint, so I have some pride in what I had accomplished. I didn't deserve as many as I got, but I loved every one of them, and it's just plain depressing to lose them all.

And I work serious overtime right now, so my updating schedule isn't a schedule. I update when I'm not about to fall over from exhaustion and when I can. (Working 65 hour weeks every week for over four months is really, really, really old. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of covering shifts, I'm tired of all of it, and yes, it cuts into my creative urges. Sorry, but real life is a serious damn issue, which is making me a perpetual grumpy bitch because I just want a freaking day off!).

**Thanks** to Mike Toth: I _love_ constructive criticism. Yes, Inu's mouth is really foul in this fic, and it isn't that way just because I can (and as I used to write some 'light NC17' fics, I know there is more to adult fics besides swearing, but I'm rating this R until I decide if this fandom will get the 'sexy stuff' out of me or not, depends on how it flows and how the characters make me write them), but more because I'm horribly inept at expressing rage without swearing (I swear a lot myself which is probably why). Though I pointedly try to cut back on the cursing when someone isn't angry or irritated, though gods know I'm very far from perfect. I feel kind of inadequate to the job when the Japanese have such nice words to display disgust or something with just a change in vocabulary (Kisama for example). And as I just started back in the writing thing, I'm surprised it didn't turn out _more_ dry than it did. I'm getting the hang of it, and trying to experiment with stuff that is different from the usual Inu fics that have a take on the whole animal side of it, and yet keep the parts I normally use and like (cross-fandom-ing, which is not a word, but hey. DBZ Saiyajin mentality I swear swerved into IY Demon mentality, it's EERIE how much they are alike now, and it's irritating because it takes the same form in my mind sometimes too. (SIGH)). And I always keep editing fics, so no worries about the going back part. I will eventually. Thanks again, I honestly appreciate the comments you made, both the positive and the negative. (bows) Thank you so much for taking the time to comment.

Lovies!


	5. Chapter Four: Perverts and Sits

**Disaster**  
By Selenity Jade  
Chapter Four: Perverts and Sits  
Rating: M

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha, though I do come up with my own ideas for stories. I'd love to own Inu though... even Kouga! I'd buy Kouga. I like Kouga.

**Last Chapter**: Koharu is picked up, and Kouga finally sleeps.

X 

She was stiff and tense in the circle of the wolf youkai's arms and prayed to every god she could think of that she'd get free before Inuyasha came back. There would be no way to avoid a fight between Kouga and Inuyasha if he saw her like this. Inuyasha – despite being devoted to Kikyou – did get jealous when Kagome's attention was elsewhere. It was painfully obvious when he every time he even smelled or heard Kouga's name mentioned, he would growl and twitch.

Just the thought of Inuyasha coming upon them like this was enough to make her shiver in fear. Oh, she knew he wouldn't hurt her, but she'd have to sit him a million times to make him spare Kouga. Youkai men were _so_ possessive! Even when they kept declaring that they felt only friendship. Or maybe all men were, how was she to know? She'd never been in any sort of close relationship with a boy, after all.

She sighed. No point in getting bitter about _that_ now. She knew Inuyasha cared about her, perhaps more than anyone but Kikyou, and she knew he even trusted her more than he trusted anyone else, _including_ Kikyou, but that didn't prove it was love. She was his friend, perhaps his best friend, and even if he had feelings for her like he sometimes seemed to, he felt responsible and devoted to her previous incarnation. She had agreed to stay with him after his choice to follow Kikyou into hell, and she intended to do just that, with no strings or pressure. She just wanted to be with him, no matter what he chose to do. He could use the Shikon no Tama to turn full demon, and she'd still keep that promise.

She liked Kouga, she really did, but it paled in comparison to the feelings she had for Inuyasha. She hurt for Kouga because he didn't deserve to lose everyone to Naraku, though she knew he had been the cause of many villagers being eaten. But in these times, she couldn't really hold that against him. He was a youkai in the Feudal Era, and most men in this time kill other people just to survive. And she had never _seen_ him do that, so it hadn't hit her that her friend was _maybe_ a man-eating monster.

She was relieved he was finally sleeping, of course. He had looked so exhausted and haunted for these past few days that she had begun to really worry about him. However, panic was beginning to flourish in her mind as she realized it was getting late. If she didn't get free soon...

She sighed and gently tried to pull away from the youkai, only to find herself completely stuck. His grip hadn't even tightened around her and yet she couldn't break free. She didn't think he was going to let go without waking up first...

And if Inuyasha came when they were like this, he might very well kill Kouga, and she didn't want that, especially when it would be her fault!

"Kouga-kun?" she said softly, trying to lean away from his chest. He only stirred slightly, nuzzled her neck, and then tightened his arms around her. If he held her any tighter, she'd turn blue from lack of oxygen!

"Kagome? Where are you?" she heard Shippou call from below them.

"Shippou? I'm on the roof," she called quietly, hoping she wouldn't wake the wolf demon just yet. He shifted in his sleep, but didn't wake up.

She heard the small kitsune hope onto the roof, though she couldn't turn her head enough to see him. "Kagome," he asked in obvious surprise. "What are you doing with Kouga? Inuyasha is gonna get all mad."

"I know. That's why I want you to help me get out of this, Shippou. I promise chocolate," she cajoled hurried. "Please?" She could feel Kouga tense in his sleep, possibly due to a strange youkai's presence. It was kind of odd, he was comfortable enough to relax with her, but the tiny kitsune's approach was going to wake him. He was just as aware of his surroundings – even in sleep – as Inuyasha was. No one would sneak up on either of them. Suddenly having Kouga with their team made her feel a bit less guilty towards Inuyasha's feelings. Two alert – or rather wild – youkai was a very good idea.

"I don't know," the kitsune hemmed slowly, plainly eager to prod Inuyasha into fits. "It'd have to be an awfully big piece of chocolate."

"Please, Shippou? Just get me out of here before Inuyasha comes," she whined softly. She _so_ did not want Inuyasha to see this. He got angry when Kouga touched her hands. He'd absolutely go berserk if he found her held in his lap!

Shippou walked into her line of sight and he looked serious. "Too late."

X 

Inuyasha walked beside the monk with his hands in his sleeves. He was watching the ground thoughtfully as they approached the hut.

"You could have carried your share," Miroku stated in his usual serene manner, though the hanyou swore he heard a note of irritation. And he smelled irritated. _Good. Serves the pervert right._

"I kill things, I don't carry them."

He could hear the monk roll his eyes. "You carry things for Kagome-sama."

Inuyasha snorted. "That's different."

"How?"

"She's a girl, that's how!" the half-demon snapped, glancing at the dark-haired man angrily.

"You do not carry Sango's load."

Inuyasha bristled. "If Sango can carry that heavy weapon, she can carry her own packs."

"True," the pervert agreed amiably. "But saying that the reason you help Kagome with her burden is because she's a girl is misleading. It isn't because she's a girl. It's because you think she's weak, then?"

The dog demon slapped the monk upside the head angrily. "Don't call her weak!"

"Then why help her carry her packs if you don't think that?" the bruised monk persisted with a rub of his head.

"I don't know! I just do, alright!" Inuyasha snapped.

Miroku gave the angry half-youkai his calm smile. "I see. So you are simply concerned for Kagome-sama's well-being, then?"

"I guess," the hanyou agreed as the exited the forest, stepping onto the path towards the hut.

Miroku put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder to halt him. "We should talk, Inuyasha."

"'Bout what?" the angry white-haired boy grunted irritably as he turned to face the monk.

"Kagome-sama and Kouga."

Inuyasha automatically released a low, possessive growl.

Miroku had the gall to smirk knowingly. "I see," the lecher stated with a nod. "I am correct in assuming you are jealous then?"

Inuyasha reached out to hit the monk again, but Miroku expected the attack and jumped back out of the hanyou's reach. If he had been really trying, Inuyasha knew he could have hurt the monk, but as they were _supposed_ to be friends – though this was debatable as he always had the urge to leave the monk in a ditch somewhere badly beaten – he simply let the priest dodge his blow. "I am _not_ jealous."

"Right, Inuyasha. If you believe that, then you must believe that Naraku is really a beautiful woman."

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "Ew, Miroku. Don't even say stuff like that. Now I'm picturing that bastard in a dress with breasts."

Miroku made an appropriate grimace. "I see what you mean. All I was saying was that both claims are highly unlikely. Your jealousy and Naraku's sex."

"Miroku!" Inuyasha snapped, snatching the monk's staff and thwapping him on the head with it. "Don't use sex _and_ Naraku in the same sentence!"

Miroku blinked, rubbing the bump on his head. "Ah, yes, I suppose you could take it that way. As I was saying, again, you're jealous and Naraku is a man, alright? Though he could cross-dress sometimes, for all we know."

"Miroku, EW! Stop it already!"

The monk smirked. "Okay, you win. Just admit you're jealous and I'll stop with the jokes of Naraku's preferences."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the monk. "I am not admitting to anything. After all, it's not like I _have_ to talk with you. I still don't entirely trust you. Anyone who can grope innocent women and ask an eleven year old to bear his children is serious suspect."

Miroku managed to look wounded as he held a hand to his chest. "Me? Inuyasha, you wound me! I would never stoop so low as to betray you or actually force a child on a child!"

"You still asked her."

"Well, that's the only way I know how to interact with girls, okay? I knew it worked on other village girls and I wanted to see her smile. That's all."

"Lecher."

"You hurt me with your words."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just forget it. I am not talking to anyone about anything I'm feeling."

"No one except Kagome-sama, correct?"

Inuyasha snorted slightly, not negating that obvious fact, and turned to walk back towards the hut.

"Okay, Inuyasha, you don't have to talk about it, but listen for a second. I think if you really don't want Kouga to win Kagome-"

"WIN? Are you insane? She's _not_ going anywhere _near_ that stupid wolf to let him do _any_ sort of winning to her!"

Miroku blinked. "That didn't altogether make much sense, Inuyasha."

"Shuddup!"

The monk sighed. "My point is, maybe you should let Kagome-sama know how you feel, alright?"

Inuyasha glared at him. "Kagome and I know all we need to know, and it is none of your business."

"You did choose Kikyou, remember?"

"Shuddup!"

"All I'm saying is that perhaps you should simply tell her how much she means to you-"

"Miroku!"

"Or simply make some sort of move on her-"

"_Monk_!"

"She does have a very nice backside-"

"YOU PERVERT!"

The loud smack echoed slightly, and Inuyasha walked the rest of the way towards the hut after leaving the stunned monk lying on the ground.

Inuyasha sniffed the air slightly, making sure everyone was inside the hut or near it, and nothing had happened while he was gone. He had been careful not to go too far from the hut in case he felt youki approach them or the hut, but it never hurt to check.

He squinted his eyes at the lumps on the roof of the hut, which was too far to make out. As he came closer, they sharpened until he could see Shippou, and what looked like a very fat, and hunched over, Kouga...

Wait...

The hair on his neck bristled as he growled dangerously, hopping towards the hut and onto the roof in record speed.

He snarled wordlessly at the vision before him. Kagome in the arms of that _fucking_ wolf. That wolf was touching her. That wolf was holding her _in_ his lap. That wolf had the nerve to fucking bury his face against her neck, marking her with his scent like he owned her! He barely saw Kagome's wide, scared eyes, but he knew she was scared by her scent. _Stupid bitch, you should be scared, to betray me with this fucking coward, this mangy wolf! Stupid bitch! Stupid wolf!_

His cheeks started to itch, and his vision blurred for a moment before he heard the most dreaded word.

"Sit!"

X 

**Next Chapter**: The fight!

X 

AN: Yes, it was shorter than normal, but I love my semi-cliffhangers. (hee) I only hope Inuyasha's complete rage showed through correctly...

Lovies!


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